Ellison’s copyright suit argues that Andrew Niccol’s film borrows substantially from Ellison’s prize-winning 1965 short story “Repent, Harlequin!” and he is seeking an injunction to prevent the film’s release late next month.

Both works reportedly use the premise of a “dystopian corporate future in which everyone is allotted a specific amount of time to live”. The writer claims the film also lifts other concepts such as ‘Timekeeper’ authority figures and the expiration of those whose time runs out.

Ellison has apparently been trying to set up a deal for a film adaptation of “Repent, Harlequin!” for some time.